Public sector and civil service

The aim of the public and civil service is to implement government policy and to provide services to the public, which means that it covers a great range of jobs in a variety of departments and agencies, from general to specialist professional roles. Career options include accountancy, HR, customer services, and policy and strategy formulation across a spectrum of economic, financial, international, environmental and social issues.

Employers include government departments and agencies, local authorities, health boards and educational institutions within the Republic and Northern Ireland. This may also be a good career choice for those who wish to travel. There are openings in embassies and consulates throughout the world and many civil servants also have the opportunity to travel to the European Parliament in Brussels.

While cuts in public sector spending have meant fewer public sector jobs in both the Republic and Northern Ireland, there are still vacancies available in some public sector organisations. The European Commission continues to recruit.